With the influx of young talent (including Gradey and Ochai) I’m really hoping the Raptors can recapture that organizational magic they had back in 2015-2017 when they developed a handful of core pieces that went on to contribute to the 2019 chip (Freddy, Norm, Pascal…and even Delon who was in the Gasol trade).
Getting sent down normally feels like a bad thing, like a demotion or that you aren’t performing well enough to stay with the main squad, but there was something special about that 2015-2017 pipeline and how everybody seemed to be rooting for each other and took pride in their work.
Back then there seemed to be a such a fluid continuity between the Raptors and the 905 and it really felt like there was a larger organizational connection underpinning it all. From the 905 coaching staff to Dwane Casey to guys like CJ Miles, DeMarre Carroll and Deebo showing up to games – it really felt like everybody had a personal interest in each other’s success – they just wanted to see each other win and it served a bigger purpose. I think this is what Masai refers to when he talks about “culture”.
We have a chance to recapture that with this super young roster and the likelihood that we’re gonna have a BUNCH of guys going back and forth on the Gardiner/QEW over the next couple of years.
For me, I think Darko is the perfect guy to help tie it all together and I hope the young core of Scottie, IQ and Barrett, etc. make a point to show up courtside to a few games this year. They don’t have to show up to every game (obviously lol), but I think it goes a long way in creating the “culture” that it takes to foster a winning environment.
From a coaching standpoint, I think it helps when the 905 head coach is a former Raptors assistant like Jesse Murmuys and Jerry Stackhouse were – and we have that again with Drew Jones taking over (he was an assistant with Darko last year). He knows what the big club needs, he’s familiar with the schemes and he already has a certain level of comfort with the organization. Here’s a recent article about him: https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/new-raptors-905-head-coach-wants-to-create-a-winning-mentality-every-day/article_40bc44f4-3251-11ef-a403-231164efa873.html
It’s unlikely that Gradey, Ochai, Ja’Kobe, Mogbo, Shead, Chomche, JFL AND Branden Carlsen ALL work out and turn into legitimate, bonafide NBA contributors, but if 3 or 4 of these guys figures it out we’re gonna be looking pretty good with Scottie, IQ and Barrett in the midst of their prime.
Now we wait and see.
by UncleNuks
3 Comments
Norm confirmed to us that players like Demar told him that if he was going to get sent down to the 905, he told him, “keep proving to them that you don’t belong there”
And we had system coaches, branches from DC’s coaching staff. We started to lose them (stack house era).
I don’t think we have a cohesive coaching tree with our current team. I’m not sold on our philosophy for development.
I think any danger of the G-League being viewed as a demotion should be negated by our success with FVV and Pascal. They’re both making $40m+ per season now.
It should be viewed as a legitimate step to achievement by anyone who’s been paying attention. Gradey last season too.